Rights groups urge EU to act against Israel ahead of foreign ministers' meeting

International rights organizations on Monday urged the European Union to take concrete measures against Israel over human rights violations in Gaza and Lebanon, ahead of a key meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Speaking at an online press conference hosted by Human Rights Watch’s Brussels office, advocates said the bloc must move beyond expressions of concern and use its political and economic leverage to ensure accountability.

Sarah Nasrallah, senior advocacy and communications officer at the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, described the situation in southern Lebanon as a “humanitarian catastrophe” marked by widespread destruction and displacement.

"What we see in Lebanon today isn't just a humanitarian catastrophe, it is the physical erasure of a nation's geography and the systematic dismantling of the international legal order," she said.

Nasrallah urged the EU to impose an arms embargo on Israel, support accountability mechanisms, and push for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

"The EU must move beyond statements of concern and humanitarian support... Aid is not a substitute for justice," she said. "Continued inaction has normalized these practices. Silence today is an investment in further escalation tomorrow."

Claudio Francavilla, associate director for EU advocacy at Human Rights Watch, said EU institutions and member states are already well-informed about the situation.

"This is not a crisis of knowledge. It's a crisis of political will," he said, noting that EU bodies have previously acknowledged potential breaches of Article 2 of the EU–Israel Association Agreement, which ties cooperation to respect for human rights.

Francavilla criticized what he described as the EU’s reluctance to act, despite having tools such as suspending trade preferences, halting arms transfers, and imposing targeted sanctions.

"There are strong legal, moral and political grounds and perhaps even obligations to act," he said, warning that continued arms transfers could expose EU states to complicity in international crimes.

Tom Gibson, lead advocate at the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Brussels office, highlighted what he described as an unprecedented toll on media workers.

"Israel in 2024 was responsible for the majority of killings worldwide, nearly 70% and this is the highest number of killings by any country in a year since CPJ has been documenting since 1992," he said.

Gibson said the killings often lack credible investigations and accused Israeli authorities of labeling journalists as combatants without sufficient evidence.

The statements come as EU foreign ministers prepare to discuss potential responses to the ongoing conflicts, amid growing pressure from some member states to adopt a firmer stance.

Spain, Slovenia, and Ireland have reportedly urged the European Commission to open a debate on partially suspending the EU–Israel Association Agreement, citing the worsening humanitarian situation in the Middle East.